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The Valentine Launches New “Controversy/History” Series

RICHMOND – The Valentine has launched their new “Controversy/History” series which will explore contentious, present-day issues by comparing historic debates to modern data.

With Controversy/History, the Valentine has re-envisioned their long-running Community Conversation series to continue encouraging sometimes uncomfortable but always relevant discussions that inspire action and promote progress.

“The Valentine is dedicated to providing Richmond residents with a space to have constructive, informed discussions about relevant topics,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “Our new Controversy/History series will use stories from our past and on-the-ground data from our present to examine the issues that mean the most to the people of the Greater Richmond region.”

At each of these events, Martin and radio host Kelli Lemon will provide biographies of individuals with opposing viewpoints from Richmond’s past. Expert speakers will then present 21st century data that explains how these disagreements have developed and shifted over time.

“It is important to have real, tough, honest conversations about our past so we can move our city forward,” said Kelli Lemon. “I’m excited to be taking part in this platform created by the Valentine to expose all angles of some hard topics and allow us to leave the conversations with takeaways that can be applied to our current situation.”

A moderated, in-depth conversation among attendees will follow. Finally, the Capital Region Collaborative (CRC) will provide audience members with pertinent regional data and a list of concrete steps they can take to make a difference in their community.

The Valentine is excited to be partnering with the Capital Region Collaborative and aligning discussion topics with their regional priorities.

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About the Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. Through collections, exhibitions and programs, the Valentine provides residents and tourists the opportunity to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. The Valentine offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. https://thevalentine.org/

About Kelli LemonKelli Lemon is an on air personality for Radio One Richmond’s Kiss FM and iPower and hosts a weekly podcast called “Coffee with Strangers”. Kelli hosts various social events and has assisted in creating unique urban events in Richmond including RVA Pop Up Parties, Hip Hop BINGO, Ready 2 Give Charity Events, Dinner and a DJ, HeART & Soul Brew Fest, Richmond Black Restaurant Week and The Art of Noise. https://www.kellilemon.com

About the Capital Region CollaborativeThe Capital Region Collaborative brings together local government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve a shared vision for the Richmond Region. CRC partners recognize that the most pressing challenges extend across jurisdictional boundaries and that a cross-sector, cross-jurisdictional approach is needed to reach the region’s full potential. https://www.capitalregioncollaborative.com/

Our newControversy/History series will explore contentious, present-day issues by comparing historic debates with modern data. We have re-envisioned our long-running Community Conversations to continue encouraging sometimes uncomfortable but always relevant discussions that inspire action and promote progress.

At each of these events, Director Bill Martin and radio host Kelli Lemon will provide biographies of individuals with opposing viewpoints from Richmond’s past. Expert speakers will then present 21st century data that explains how these disagreements have developed and shifted.

A moderated, in-depth conversation among attendees will follow.

Finally, the Capital Region Collaborative (CRC) will provide audience members with pertinent regional data and a list of concrete steps they can take to make a difference in their community.